Total synthesis of thiostrepton. Assembly of key building blocks and completion of the synthesis

Inspirations, discoveries, and future perspectives in total synthesis

The last one hundred years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the power and reach of total synthesis. The pantheon of accomplishments in the field includes the total synthesis of molecules of unimaginable beauty and diversity such as the four discussed in this article: endiandric acids (1982), calicheamicin gamma(1)(I) (1992), Taxol (1994), and brevetoxin B (1995). Chosen from the collection of the molecules synthesized in the author's laboratories, these structures are but a small fraction of the myriad constructed in laboratories around the world over the last century. Their stories, and the background on which they were based, should serve to trace the evolution of the art of chemical synthesis to its present sharp condition, an emergence that occurred as a result of new theories and mechanistic insights, new reactions, new reagents and catalysts, and new synthetic technologies and strategies. Indeed, the advent of chemical synthesis as a whole must be considered as one of the most influential developments of the twentieth century in terms of its impact on society.

Recent advances in the chemistry and biology of naturally occurring antibiotics

Ever since the world-shaping discovery of penicillin, nature's molecular diversity has been extensively screened for new medications and lead compounds in drug discovery. The search for agents intended to combat infectious diseases has been of particular interest and has enjoyed a high degree of success. Indeed, the history of antibiotics is marked with impressive discoveries and drug-development stories, the overwhelming majority of which have their origin in natural products. Chemistry, and in particular chemical synthesis, has played a major role in bringing naturally occurring antibiotics and their derivatives to the clinic, and no doubt these disciplines will continue to be key enabling technologies. In this review article, we highlight a number of recent discoveries and advances in the chemistry, biology, and medicine of naturally occurring antibiotics, with particular emphasis on total synthesis, analogue design, and biological evaluation of molecules with novel mechanisms of action.

From nature to the laboratory and into the clinic

Natural products possess a broad diversity of structure and function, and they provide inspiration for chemistry, biology, and medicine. In this review article, we highlight and place in context our laboratory's total syntheses of, and related studies on, complex secondary metabolites that were clinically important drugs, or have since been developed into useful medicines, namely amphotericin B (1), calicheamicin gamma(1)(I) (2), rapamycin (3), Taxol (4), the epothilones [e.g., epothilones A (5) and B (6)], and vancomycin (7). We also briefly highlight our research with other selected inspirational natural products possessing interesting biological activities [i.e., dynemicin A (8), uncialamycin (9), eleutherobin (10), sarcodictyin A (11), azaspiracid-1 (12), thiostrepton (13), abyssomicin C (14), platensimycin (15), platencin (16), and palmerolide A (17)].

Total synthesis of siomycin A: construction of synthetic segments

The five practical segments for the total synthesis of siomycin A, that is, the dehydropiperidine segment A (5), the pentapeptide segment B (3), the dihydroquinoline segment C (6), and the beta-phenylselenoalanine dipeptide segments D (7) and E (4), were synthesized. Segment A (5) was constructed by the coupling of the azomethine ylide and the chiral sulfinimine, followed by the stereoselective reduction of the six-membered imine function. Segment B (3) was synthesized by the phenylselenylation of the beta-lactone, stereoselective vinylzinc addition to the chiral sulfinimine, and oxazoline-thioamide conversion. Segment C (6) was prepared by the one-pot olefination of the tetrahydroquinoline N-oxide using triflic anhydride and triethylamine, stereoselective reduction of the methyl ketone function, and regioselective Yb(OTf)(3)-catalyzed epoxide opening by the amino group. Segments D (7) and E (4) were synthesized by coupling of the properly protected beta-phenylselenoalanines.

Total syntheses of amythiamicins A, B and C

Total syntheses of the thiopeptide antibiotics amythiamicins A, B and C are reported.

Total synthesis of atrochamins F, H, I, and J through cascade reactions

A concise and efficient cascade-based total synthesis of artochamins F, H, I, and J is described. The potential biogenetic connection between artochamin F, or a derivative thereof, and artochamins H, I, and J, through an unusual formal [2+2] cycloaddition process, was shown to be feasible. An alternative mechanism for this transformation is also proposed.

Concise total synthesis of the thiazolyl peptide antibiotic GE2270 A

The potent antibiotic thiazolylpeptide GE2270 A was synthesized starting from N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl protected valine in a longest linear sequence of 20 steps and with an overall yield of 4.8 %. Key strategy was the assembly of the 2,3,6-trisubstituted pyridine core by consecutive cross-coupling reactions starting from 2,6-dibromo-3-iodopyridine. The complete Southern fragment was installed by Negishi cross-coupling of 3-zincated 2,6-dibromopyridine at the terminal 2-iodothiazole of a trithiazole (87 %). The substituent at C-6 representing the Northern part of the molecule was introduced in form of the truncated tert-butyl 2-bromothiazole-4-carboxylate after metalation to a zinc reagent by another Negishi cross-coupling (48 %). Decisive step of the whole sequence was the macrocyclization to a 29-membered macrolactam, which was conducted as an intramolecular Stille cross-coupling occurring at C-2 of the pyridine core and providing the desired product in 75 % yield. The required stannane was obtained by amide bond formation (87 %) between a complex dithiazole fragment representing the Eastern part of GE2270 A and a 3,6-disubstituted 2-bromopyridine. Final steps included attachment of a serine-proline amide dipeptide to the Northern part of the molecule (65 %), formation of the oxazoline ring and silyl ether deprotection (55 % overall).

Total synthesis of thiopeptide antibiotics GE2270A, GE2270T, and GE2270C1

The total syntheses of the thiopeptide antibiotics GE2270A (7), GE2270T (8), and GE2270C1 (9) are described. The original synthetic strategies employed utilized the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction to construct the pyridine core of the target molecules and relied on a macrolactamization process to construct the macrocycle. The hetero-Diels-Alder-based strategy finally evolved allows the introduction of all four thiazole units attached to the pyridine ring and a one-pot sequence for macrocyclization and side-chain extension, culminating in highly convergent and expedient syntheses of these molecules as exemplified by a 24-step synthesis of GE2270C1 (9).

Total synthesis of complex heterocyclic natural products

Total synthesis campaigns toward complex heterocyclic natural products are a prime source of inspiration for the design and execution of complex cascade sequences, powerful reactions, and efficient synthetic strategies. We highlight selected examples of such innovations in the course of our total syntheses of diazonamide A, azaspiracid-1, thiostrepton, 2,2'-epi-cytoskyrin A and rugulosin, abyssomycin C, platensimycin, and uncialamycin.

Quinoline, quinazoline and acridone alkaloids

This review covers the isolation, structure determination, synthesis and biological activity of quinoline, quinazoline and acridone alkaloids from plant, microbial and animal sources; 115 references are cited.

From Amino Acids to Heteroaromatics—Thiopeptide Antibiotics, Nature's Heterocyclic Peptides

Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, also serve as precursors to a wide range of other naturally occurring substances including alkaloids, antibiotics, and, the subject of this Review, heterocyclic peptides. Simple alpha-amino acids are converted into complex arrays of heteroaromatic rings that display interesting and potent biological activity. The thiopeptide antibiotics, with their complex molecular architectures, are wonderful examples. In this Review we show how organic chemists have developed innovative methods for the synthesis of the heterocyclic ring systems, including routes inspired by the likely biosynthetic processes, and successfully assembled such building blocks into the final target molecule by application of orthogonal protecting groups and coupling methodologies.

Cascade Reactions in Total Synthesis

The design and implementation of cascade reactions is a challenging facet of organic chemistry, yet one that can impart striking novelty, elegance, and efficiency to synthetic strategies. The application of cascade reactions to natural products synthesis represents a particularly demanding task, but the results can be both stunning and instructive. This Review highlights selected examples of cascade reactions in total synthesis, with particular emphasis on recent applications therein. The examples discussed herein illustrate the power of these processes in the construction of complex molecules and underscore their future potential in chemical synthesis.

Chiral Seleno-Amines from Indium Selenolates. A Straightforward Synthesis of Selenocysteine Derivatives

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of chiral beta-seleno-amines derivatives from a one-pot indium(I) iodide-mediated aziridine ring opening with diorganoyl diselenides has been developed. As an application, the synthesis of selenocysteine and selenotreonine derivatives has been accomplished.

Solution structures of thiopeptide antibiotics

A detailed NMR study of the thiopeptide amythiamicin D establishes its solution conformation and the presence of a single intramolecular hydrogen bond involving NH13 and O28, and also provides the first evidence for self-association of thiopeptides in solution.